Radiator grille cover



Nov.'l2, 1935. H. E. KAEMMER' 2,020,838

vRADIATOR GRILLE COVER Filed Aug. 3, 1935 Har/y @ew/77er Patented jNov.v 12, 1935 z,ozo,s3 s RADIATOR GRILLE' covm'z Harry E. Kaemmer, Fremont, Ohio, assigner to The S. E. Hyman Company, Fremont, Ohio, 'a

' corporation of Ohio Application August 3, i935, serial No. 34,589

' .ft-claims.. (ci. 25a-132) This invention relates to radiator grille covers for automobiles, and is more particularly directed to a device which may be detachably connected to the grille or shield covering an automobile radiator, during cold weather, to lessen the cooling action of the radiator and avoid thedisadvantages of overcooling.4

It has been found, in practice, that satisfactory installation of fabric covershas been difficult to attain since the available supports are vertically disposed and hence the fabric usually` buckles, due to slipping of the fastening elements in a vertical direction. 'I'he looseness of the cover results in a apping action ofthe material, which may damage the nishof 'the vcar and which is otherwise annoying. e

It has also been a disadvantage inffabric covers that their adaptability was usually limited to one particular make of car, since'the t must havebeen made as close as possible with no material overlapping the 'edges of the grille. Any excess material was liableto flap when the car wasin motion.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the above, and other, disadvantages, and to providea cover which is sufficiently rigid to prevent ilapping, and which is adaptable to a large number of makes of cars with .no alteration other vthan re-location of the fastening elements.

Another object of the invention .is to provide a cover of this' character which, for eilcient mounting, requires fewer fastening elements than previous fabric covers, and which is more easily installed. i l

Other objects and advantages of the vinvention will become apparent as the description proceeds,

^ reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of the device in'-` stalled on a radiator grille, which is yeshaped in horizontal cross-section; Fig.l 2 is a front ele- -vation, with parts broken away, and with one of the hinged closure members vopened and one closed; Fig. 3 isa similar rear elevation, and Figs.

4, 5, and 6 are sections on lines -4-4, 5--5 and 66, respectively, of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, I designates the body nature. I'he body Iis turned back on itself at the marginal edges, or otherwise 'shaped to vpro-- vide pockets 2 extending entirely around the edges heldin a taut position during the entire time that o1' the cover for the reception of stiii'ening members 3. The stiffening members are preferably made of a heavy wire material sothat they may the radiator. Obviously, when both closui' bers I are open, the cooling action is at its maxibe bent to any desired coniguration and will'retain their adjusted shape. A nishing .stripv 44 is stitched to the edge of the cover to complete the@ assembly. l j In the form shown, the coveris rounded in outline at the lower edge so as to conform in shape tothe greatmajority of grilles. Most of the grilles now in use are either substantially V- shaped in horizontal cross-section or are rounded on this plane to present' a'convex surface to the 10 air when the car is moving. When it is desired to attach the cover to a grille so formed, the part of the stiffening member 3- acrossthe vtop of the cover is bent to conform to the shape o'f the grille, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The cover is held in place by suitable fastening elements 5 which extend through the cover and .engage the grille. 'I'he fasteningmembers in the present instance are four in number' and are located adjacent the top and sides of `the 'cover andmaybe re-located 20 simply by punching a small hole in the'fabric.

Hinged closure members 1 are formed from the body I to `cover correspondingly shaped openings 8 in'the fabric, so thata pr' determined portion of the grille and radiator ma be exposed to selectively increase or decrease the cooling .action of e memmum, -and,corresponding1y. when both are closed the cooling action is at its minimum. Snap fasteners 9, o r' other suitable retaining means, are provided to hold the closure members 1 in open or closed position.

' On. the rear surface of .the body I a centrally v and is sc ed `down the middle in a fold line Il. The'user thus enabled to locate the exact center of the cover when it is desired to bendl the stiflening members to conform to a given grille conformation. The member l0 also aids in keeping 40 the fabric body taut to prevent flapping. The

' located sening strip In 1s nxea asby stitching,

central stiifeningmeans is stopped short of the bottom ofthe coverso that the latter is easily bent out of la. single vertical plane to conform to the shape of such grilles as project forwardly at Flai. w ,'It will be `seen are effectively prevented from iiapping and are the cover is used. Obviously, the cover so constructed is superior in appearance to ,one'whichis 5g 4t "the lbottom edge, as shown diagrammatically in that the present invention...

.provides a cover which is entirely surrounded by a stiifening member so that. the marginal edges buckled and deformed by reason of insuiilciency of support.

While the invention has been described in connection with a particular type of stiiening ele- 5` ment, namely, the wire member s, it snoum be expressly Yunderstood that any other Y suitable stiiening elements may be used to accomplish the desired results. It will" also be understood that my inventionis not limited to any specific 10 construction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable of numerous modications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I 15 claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. A radiator grille cover of the type set forth, composed of a body of flexible'material having an opening therein, said body having a flap mov- 20 ably connected thereto for closing the opening,-

marginal stiiening means connected to the body.

a vertical stifleningelement connected to the body and located centrally between the sides of the body, said `marginal 'stiieni'ng` means being bendable so that the side portions o! the body 5 on opposite sides of said vertical stiiening means can be curved or bent at an angle thereto to dispose said side portions to 4conform to grilles vof the rounded or V-type. and means to attach the side portions of the body to vthe grille ot a 1o radiator. I 'p 2.*A radiator grille cover in accordance with claim l, wherein the vertical stiffening element is composed of a'strip of material, the lower end of which terminates above the bottom of the body 15 so that the said bottom of the body may be bent to conform to grilles of the type having their lower portions projecting forwardly. v

HARRY E. 2o4 

